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Club donates toward construction of courts for pickleball

Dianne L Stallings, Ruidoso News
Published 4:22 p.m. MT Sept. 6, 2017

Coupled with previous donation, nearly $25,000 raised

Members of the Ruidoso Pickleball Club donated $14,000 Tuesday to the parks and recreation department toward construction of courts dedicated to pickleball.(Photo11: Courtesy Photo/Ruidoso Pickleball Club)

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Sporting a big check for $14,000, members of the Ruidoso Pickleball Club presented the donation to Parks and Recreation Director Rodney Griego Tuesday to be used for construction of courts dedicated to pickleball.

Coupled with a previous donation from the club, the total collected is nearly $25,000.

"The department is excited to partner with the pickleball club as the sport continues to grow in popularity, which gives us yet another recreation destination opportunity," Griego said.

The real check is scheduled to be handed over to Griego at the Ruidoso Village Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Club spokesman and USA Pickleball Association Ambassador Patrick Quist said the money raised for dedicated courts came from the 4th Annual Ruidoso Pickleball Championships June 16-18; from a court fundraiser round robin event Aug. 12; and from an Super Senior International Pickleball Association Billy the Kid Shoot Out Aug. 21-23.

The club has 104 members signed up this year. Throughout the summer, the club placed an average of 24 or more players on the courts each day in Ruidoso. The 5th annual championship next year is expected to draw more than 200 participants, Quist said.

"The tournament has grown every year and because of the number of players and limited courts, we have had to make this a four-day event for 2018," he said.

"To accommodate the growth of our sport here in Ruidoso, we need to expand our court space," Quist said. "Ruidoso is quickly becoming a well-known destination for top level pickleball players and is recognized for running well organized tournaments. Having dedicated pickleball courts would allow us to draw in more of the professional level players and greatly advance Ruidoso as one of the top pickleball destinations. Most other large pickleball areas are winter destination. Ruidoso can exploit its attribute of cool summers and become the number one summer pickleball location in the nation."

Several members plan to particiate in the upcoming Great Plains Regional Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo, which has 15-dedicated pickleball courts, he said.